Life cycle assessment of citronella Oil supply Chain: A comparative two production process methods

Abstract

Generally, the production processes of citronella (Cymbopogon Nardus) oil refining in Aceh are traditionally carried out, making them less efficient in resource usage. Every activity along the citronella supply chain has an environmental impact due to raw materials, water, and energy resources. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the environmental impacts caused by activities along the citronella oil supply chain based on a life cycle assessment framework. We compared two production process methods, namely a distillation system with one boiler for one kettle and one boiler for three kettles. The environmental impacts measured include greenhouse gas emissions, global warming potential, land use, and air acidification. Research stages involved determining goal and scope, data collection, environmental impact measurement, interpretation, and proposals for improving the production process. The results showed that the production process of a single boiler system for three kettles had an environmental impact lower than the other method. Furthermore, the distillation process and solid waste combustion have a significant impact on the environment, hence they need to be improved. This life cycle assessment of the citronella oil supply chain is the basis for enhancing the production process to reduce environmental impact.